Devotion
by iddybiddybites
Summary: Five years after Harry's mysterious disappearance from Hogwarts and the wizarding world, he finally returns to Diagon Ally and to the person he ran from. His love, Draco Malfoy. Title change, Dark taken out.
1. Chapter 1

Rating: 'R' If not higher...  
  
Warnings: If you are not under the legal age of consent in your country, or of high maturity level, you might not want to read on... If you don't like reading graphic (or semi-graphic) text, I suggest you don't read. Please no cruel flames... Thanks much, Iddy

Summary: Five years after Harry's mysterious disappearance from Hogwarts, he finally returns to Diagon Ally and to the person he ran from. His love, Draco Malfoy. 

**Chapter One: Arrival  
  
**

_"Promise me you will never leave me. Promise!" _

_"I could never leave you."_  
  
These words ran through Harry's mind like a broken record while he waited for the plane to land in London. He looked out the window, staring at a landscape he had not seen in 5 years. It felt like home. Why, in the name of Merlin, did he leave?  
  
_It was your own fault. You left. You broke a promise to your love. You gave up everything that you knew, and hightailed it to America, where you spent 5 years crying over him._ I had to. I had no choice. _You had plenty of choices. You didn't have to leave._ I did too. Whoever asked you anyway? _You did. Remember?_  
  
A crisp female voice over the speaker on the plane interrupted Harry's train of thought. "Excuse me ladies and gentleman. The plane is about to land. Please put your tray and seat in the upright position and fasten your seat belts. Thank you for flying ATA."  
  
_About time_, Harry thought as he got off the plane. _Horrid things, planes are. _Spotting his luggage and the taxi he requested, Harry hurried to get out of the busy airport.  
  
Two hours later Harry found himself staring at the door to The Leaky Cauldron. At the odd looks he was getting from pedestrians passing by, he walked through the door. The first thing he saw was Tom wiping down the countertop. He looked up and promptly fainted at the sight of the long-lost Harry Potter standing just inside the door. All the chatter stopped as they watched old Tom fall to the floor. It was then that Harry noticed a curly haired brunette server talking to a customer with a tray of empty mugs floating behind her.  
  
Hermione? Could that be Hermione?  
  
As the woman turned from her customers to see what was wrong with Tom, Harry realized that she was in fact, Hermione Granger, and that she was at least 7 months pregnant. Harry watched as she rushed over to Tom to figure out what was wrong with him. Within 3 seconds Hermione surmised that he had fainted. She set the charmed tray into motion cleaning the mugs while she pulled of one of Tom's shoes, peeled off his sock, and put it under his nose. Old Tom regained consciousness with a start. Before Hermione could ask him why he fainted, Tom took another look at Harry and passed out again. Hermione looked up, following Tom's line of sight, and saw Harry. Recognition, shock, and happiness passed over her features.  
  
"H-H-Harry?" She stuttered. Her huge eyes going glossy with tears, Hermione stood up quickly, ignoring the thump that was Tom's head hitting the ground as she stood, walked over to Harry and threw her arms around him. Harry was slightly startled, as he hadn't had much physical contact with anyone since he left.

"Oh God, Harry! I have missed you so much! Why didn't you write!?" Hermione continued to hold him, and then abruptly let go. Happiness quickly faded from her eyes as they narrowed with anger. At that moment, Harry knew that he was witnessing one of the many mood swings of his childhood friend. His fear was quickly replacing the pleasure at what he had thought was going to be a sweet reunion. Hermione swung out her hand, and slapped him full on the face.

"How _dare_ you walk in here like you haven't been gone for _five years_ without _one_ word to your _best_ friends, and expect that it would be okay!" She turned around and walked past Tom to continue taking the abandoned customer's order. Halfway to the table Hermione stopped and turned back around to face Harry. "I expect you will want a room. There is one available upstairs. Take your things up and we will talk later." With that, she turned back around and continued walking.

**A/N:** I hope that you enjoy this story. I have been a really bad mama to this story... Please review, and tell me how you enjoy it. For those that read this story on the other pen name, please read this one as well... I will be making changes, and filling in plot holes. Thank you guys for being so dedicated! - Iddybiddybites


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine and maybe a few new characters....  
  
Warning: This is a SLASH fic. M/M If you are offended please don't read.  
  
**Chapter 2**

Harry had a small grin on his face as he walked up the stairs. That was Hermione, and he had missed her, mood swings and all… The grin got even bigger as he thought of her pregnancy. He wondered if it was Ron's. He braced himself as he came up to the unoccupied room's door. He had stayed in this room many times before he had left for America. He and Draco had requested it many times. It held many memories, and a beautiful view. _It would figure that Hermione would tell me to come here. She has a sick sense of humor. _Harry thought as he slowly reached for the handle, all too clearly remembering times gone past.

_"Harry, _hurry_, please." Draco called down the stairs to him. "I can't wait to try the bed. Harry, Hurry!"_

Harry shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memories assaulting his mind. He opened the door, and once again had to brace himself. _It hasn't changed a bit, scary really. _He thought while looking around the room. His eyes were caught on the large bed in the middle of the floor. His grin reappeared faintly as he remembered Draco collapsing there. Once again, Harry shook his head trying to shake the images away.  
  
_Too many memories..._ Turning from the bed, Harry walked to the dresser and unpacked his suitcase.  
  
_How many times have I done this? How many hotels and strange places have I fallen asleep in? Entirely too many…_ Exhausted, Harry walked towards the bed for a nap. As he approached it, a wound on the side of a bedpost caught his eye.  
  
_No. Too many possibilities. How could that be it? _A closer inspection or the cut proved his thoughts correct. _Oh Merlin... This isn't fair..._ Harry lay down on the bed, his mind reeling. Soon after his head hit the pillow, Harry started to dream.  
  
_"How could you do this to us!? We have put entirely too much work into this relationship for you to just run away from it. What is going on? What, can poor little Golden Boy not handle the pressure?" Draco yelled at Harry. "I thought you loved me enough to let me help you with whatever is wrong. I guess not." Harry watched in anguish as Draco's eyes filled with tears. "Fuck you Harry." With that Draco turned to the door.  
  
"No! Dray, wait!" Harry cried, grabbing Draco's arm. Draco whirled around and pulled a knife he kept hidden up his sleeve, on Harry. Harry's eyes widened with shock. _  
  
_"Don't touch me! Do not fucking touch me! I can't deal with it if you touch me!" The tears that had filled his stormy eyes were now streaming down his face. "Why?" He asked through his tears. "Why?" Harry looked up at him, clearly struggling with an internal battle._  
  
__

_"I can't say. I would if I could, but I can't" Ice filled Draco's eyes as anger took over, and he threw the knife. It plunged into the wood of one of the bedposts, where moments before he had been clinging to it with passion for Harry.  
  
_

_ "Then I can't stay. Good-bye Harry." Draco walked out the door, and out of Harry's life for what seemed would be forever. Harry slid down the door as it shut. Sobs shook his body as he mourned the loss of his best reason for living.  
  
"No... Draco, don't go... No!" He cried... "No…"_  
  
Harry awoke from his dream with tears running down his face. "No...." he moaned. The dream fresh in his mind along with the reality of loosing Draco, Harry curled up in a ball, and cried himself to sleep again.  
  
A couple hours later a knock at his door woke Harry up.  
  
"Harry? Are you there? Its me, Hermione."  
  
"Come in 'Mione." Harry called while trying to sit up. The door opened and in walked Hermione Granger with a curly, redheaded baby girl on her hip. She shut the door and looked at Harry. He was watching the baby with interest.  
  
"Is that whose I think it is?" Harry asked. Hermione grinned.  
  
"Yes it is. This is Muireann Weasley. Ron and I had her last year. And this one," she added while patting her belly, "is due in a couple of weeks. Ron and I got married three years ago. We _did_ try to find you." She looked pointedly at Harry. "Why did you leave?" At Harry's expression she decided not to inquire again.  
  
"I had to. I wasn't given a choice." Hermione's eyes narrowed at his choice of words. She sat Muireann down on the floor with a charm to keep her from harm, and sat down on the bed beside Harry. She decided not to let the topic go after all.

"What do you mean, 'not given a choice?' Did someone force you to leave?" The look on Harry's face gave her more information than she had expected. Fury now graced her voice. "Who was it?" Each word was laced with anger and promise of torture to the one who made Harry leave without a fight. Harry still hadn't answered her question. A thought occurred to Hermione. "Better yet, who did they threaten?" At that question, Harry looked up at her with a start. His face slowly crumbled.

"My heart," he said. Hermione opened her arms to Harry and held him as he cried. _It seems like no time has past at all. Just yesterday, we left Hogwarts and were on our way in life. Nevertheless, time _has_ past. I am married with a child and another one on the way, while Harry has been gone for 5 years. We are 22 years old, instead of the naïve 17 and 18 year olds that battled the dark lord. _Harry pulled back from her embrace and looked Hermione in the eyes. He had composed himself and was desperately trying not to cry again. He had no idea where all these tears were coming from. He thought that he had cried all of them out when he left.  
  
"I missed you. I missed you and Ron so much. You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you what was going on." Harry said.  
  
"We missed you too. We all did. Draco too." At the mention of Draco's name, Harry's fight against tears lost. A sob broke out of his body.  
  
"I - I m-m-missed him t-t-o-o-o... I l-love h-him s-s-s-o-o m-much." He tried to say more, but his chest was heaving too much.

A while later, they heard Muireann snort. Hermione controlled herself enough to see what her daughter was up to. She was fast asleep, curled up on the rug by the bed. Soft little snores flowed through her open mouth. Hermione and Harry smiled down at her. Hermione looked at Harry, a small smile hovering over her lips.

"Sometimes, Harry, the outcome is worth every bit of pain one receives." Harry looked up at her. "She's my little angel. I would go through any amount of pain for her. I am soon going to go through more for another little girl. Love, any kind of love, is worth pain. That's how love works. That's what makes relationships last. Pain, communication, and trust are three attributes that bring a couple together. I know you loved Draco. After everything you have been through, you still love him. That isn't something you should just let go of without a fight." Harry stayed quiet for a moment. Softly he explained to her why he left.

"You remember how happy Draco and I were to be together during 6th and 7th year." At Hermione's nod, he continued. "He was one of the only people that kept me going during the fight against Voldemort. Once he was defeated, Draco proposed to me." Hermione nodded. She remembered at the celebratory banquet at Hogwarts when Harry came running into the great hall with a look of supreme joy. "I thought everything was going to be happily ever after for us. Lucius, the smarmy bastard, went free from the ministry, once again pleading Imperius. After Draco and I announced our engagement, I started to receive owls, first anonymously, and then, as they steadily got more threatening, Lucius started signing them. I paid them no mind until I got one that threatened Draco and any children that might come of our relationship." Hermione's gasp broke into Harry's monologue.

"Harry, I had no-"

"Wait, just let me finish," Harry interrupted. "I would have told the authorities about what was going on, but he made it perfectly clear that any move against him would result in Draco's immediate death. I didn't want to risk it, so I left. I hated myself for 5 years. Then one day, I read an article in the Daily Prophet that Lucius Malfoy had been imprisoned for use of the Cruciatus curse in a public area, and here I am." Harry snorted softly. "I always knew he was stupid."

"Why didn't you ever tell Draco, Harry? He would have understood." Hermione asked.

"Think about that one for a minute Hermione. Draco would have done something stupid, like confront his father, with 'JUST KILL ME' practically written on his forehead. I love Draco, and because of this, of all people, I know his faults. His temper is one of them." Hermione giggled.

"He reminds me of Ron in that way. Such a hot-head." Hermione paused. "Harry, Draco gave me his engagement ring. He wanted me to hold onto it for safekeeping. He still loves you, Harry, but he doesn't want to be reminded of you." Harry looked away, lost in thought.

"Where is it?" he mumbled.

"Around my neck. It reminded me of you, and of happy times." At those words, Harry asked to hold it. Hermione removed it from her necklace and placed it in is hand.

It was a platinum ring with a gold sun outline and a silver outline of a moon inside of it. Filled in the moon was an emerald. In the sun, a stone changed colors from a silver to a stormy sea blue. Harry pulled out the matching ring from around his neck. "I have worn it every day since... Draco... left." Harry broke off looking through her to his memories. "Draco picked them out."

"They are beautiful. Why the sun and moon design? Why the colors?" Hermione asked.

"Someday, remind me to tell you and I will. It involves is a beautiful story about a dragon and a lion." Harry paused. "Why are you working here, 'Mione? I would think you would be some huge scientist or something." Harry asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Actually, I am filling in for a friend. She got sick a needed someone to cover for her. Old Tom shouldn't be here alone. As you could see earlier today... He is going to be 94 in a couple days, you know. He can't work the pub alone."

"What do you do then?"

"Well, you could probably guess." Hermione said with a smile lighting her eyes.

"Hmmm… A librarian." Harry stated, clearly remembering all the hours she spent in the library at school. Hermione's smile grew bigger.

"Actually no, I research ancient scrolls and novels to find new ways to use the spells that are hidden in them. It is quite fascinating. I-" At Harry's look of exasperation, Hermione stopped talking. A sheepish look crossed over her face. Harry had had to deal with her running off on any subject that she was passionate about. Books, Ron, more books… He had heard it all, and probably, now that he was back in the wizarding world, would again. To divert her, he asked,

"Where does Ron work? What about Fred and George? What is going on with everyone?" Harry asked, slowly getting more worked up.  
  
"Slow down! We have all night!" Hermione laughed, obviously delighted at having Harry back.  
  
_You know it's strange, _she thought. _Having him back after years of absence, but it feels great. I missed him so much. So has everyone else. Ron was heartbroken. He is going to be thrilled at having him back. If he doesn't kill him first that is. Draco is going to be happy too... I just hope that Harry will finally tell him why he left. I have never seen Draco so upset before. Even when he had to give his Dad up, he wasn't as broken. I wonder if –_

"Hermione!! Hello! Earth calling!" Harry yelled while waving his hand in front of her face. "Good grief girl! Where did you go?"

"Just thinking. Hey! Would you come to Tom's birthday party? He would really enjoy it. Plus you could see everyone... See if they recognize you..." Hermione coaxed. Harry had a hard time believing that she only had that in mind. _See if they recognize you my foot_' he thought. After all, she had an evil smile on her face.  
  
_I wonder what she is planning? Probably going to invite the whole wizarding world to it, just to get even with me..._

"Umm... Sure... Really 'Mione, what are you planning for me? That look is not one I want to trust." Harry teased.

"Nothing. Really. I promise." With a huge grin, Hermione swept up her daughter and started to leave.

"Wait! 'Mione... Umm... Who all is going to be there?" As she turned around, she noticed Harry's seriousness. Sympathetic to his plight she came back over to the bed and gave him a hug.

"Just a few friends. Nothing that you need to worry about," she said soothingly.

"Will Draco be there?" Harry asked nervously. Sensing his fear of seeing his lost love before he was ready, Hermione decided to tell him the truth.

"To be perfectly honest love, I don't know if he will be there or not. He was invited, but he has not been out in public for the last few days. He might decide to come. I am sorry I can't tell you for certain." Harry took in what she said with a sad grace. He knew he would have to see Draco sometime, but he really didn't want to see him so soon after he arrived back in the wizarding world. "Is that okay with you? ... Harry?" Hermione's words broke his train of thought.

"Hmmm? Did you say something 'Mione?" Harry asked, obviously distracted.

"Yes, love, I did. I asked if you would be okay with him being a the party." Still distracted, Harry murmured a barely audible, "Uh-huh."

"Okay then Harry. I am going to put Muireann to bed. She is dead to the world. Why don't you go to bed? You look awful." Hermione reached over and pulled Harry into a one-armed hug. "It is good to have you back Harry." With that, Hermione left with the sleeping Muireann leaving Harry alone on the bed, thinking all too many thoughts. All of them involving the party, and the possibility of seeing Draco again for the first time in five years.


End file.
